This was one of the most heartwarming and beautiful stories I have ever read. A gorgeous tale of survival and the healing power of love. I strongly encourage everyone to read it!! Mia Sheridan’s ability to convey strong emotions and vivid imagery through her writing is absolutely captivating! I can’t recommend this book highly enough!!

The giveaway is open internationally so everyone can enter. All you have to do is scroll down to the bottom of the post and enter in the Rafflecopter for your chance to win….

Good luck!!

“I wanted to lose myself in the small town of Pelion, Maine. To forget everything I had left behind. The sound of rain. The blood. The coldness of a gun against my skin. For six months, each breath has been a reminder that I survived—and my dad didn’t. I’m almost safe again. But the moment I meet Archer Hale, my entire world tilts on its axis . . . and never rights itself again.

Until I trespass into his strange, silent, and isolated world, Archer communicates with no one. Yet in his whiskey-colored eyes, something intangible happens between us. There’s so much more to him than just his beauty, his presence, or the ways his hands communicate with me. On me. But this town is mired in secrets and betrayals, and Archer is the explosive center of it all.

So much passion. And so much hurt. But it’s only in Archer’s silence that we might just find what we need to heal… and live.”

**** NEW LIST JUST POSTED ***** Hey everyone!! This is a brand new Weekly List for the week of February 12th. I know it looks similar to the old one, but if you scroll down, you’ll see it’s all new books!!

The Wrong Kind of Love by Lexi Ryan (sexy romance about a runaway bride, a single dad who’s sworn off love, and the kind of family secrets that can threaten to break even the deepest bonds, can standalone)

I wanted to get away, to hide until my heart mended. I found myself in a strange town with a mysterious stranger whose talented mouth and hands almost made me forget it was supposed to be my wedding night… Afraid to go home to face my broken life, I pretend to be my twin so I can take her job caring for a six-year-old girl. Imagine my surprise when I find out my new boss is my mysterious stranger. I never meant for him to discover my secrets. I never meant for them to matter. But the longer I work with him and his sweet daughter, the harder I fall, and the clearer it becomes that I’m not the only one carrying a secret…”

Standalone: “You’d think a billion dollars, a professional hockey team and a six-bedroom mansion would satisfy a guy. You’d be wrong.

For seven years, she has brightened my office with her wit and her smile. She manages both my hockey team and my sanity. I don’t know when I started waking in the night, craving her. All I know is that one whiff of her perfume ruins my concentration. And her laugh makes me hard… When she gets hurt, I step in to help. It’s what friends do. But what friends don’t do is rip off each others’ clothes for a single, wild night together. Now she’s avoiding me. She says we’re too different, and it can never happen again. So why can’t we keep our hands off each other?”

Standalone: “In the end, only three things matter. How much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.” It was a big lie. The biggest lie she’d ever told. “Are you in love with Noah, Mercedes?” Cora asked. “I mean… I know you love him. You’ve been friends forever. We all have. But are you in love with him?”

If it had been anyone else—anyone—Mercedes would have stuck out her chest, folded her skinny arms, and let her feelings be known. She would have claimed him. But it was Cora. Brave, beautiful, broken Cora, and Cora loved Noah too.

So Mercedes lied.

And with that lie, she lost him. With that lie, she sealed her fate.

She was the best friend, the bridesmaid, the godmother, the glue. She was there for the good times and the bad, the ups and downs, the biggest moments and the smallest parts. And she was there when it all came crashing down.

Special paperback edition with extended epilogue, bonus scene, and new cover: “I wanted to lose myself in the small town of Pelion, Maine. To forget everything I had left behind. The sound of rain. The blood. The coldness of a gun against my skin. For six months, each breath has been a reminder that I survived—and my dad didn’t. I’m almost safe again.

But the moment I meet Archer Hale, my entire world tilts on its axis… and never rights itself again. He communicates with no one. Yet in his whiskey-colored eyes, something intangible happens between us. There’s so much more to him than just his beauty, his presence, or the ways his hands communicate with me. On me. But this town is mired in secrets and betrayals, and Archer is the explosive center of it all. So much passion. And so much hurt. But it’s only in his silence that we might just find what we need to heal… and live.”

“She put it all on the line for the Chaos Motorcycle Club. Informing to Chaos on their rival club—her man’s club—she knows the stakes. But as she drifted away from her man, she’s been falling in love with a Chaos brother. He’s the biker-boy-next door with quiet confidence and sweet disposition who was supposed to keep her safe and fell down on that job… For him, it’s always been her, from the first time he saw her. He’s just been waiting for a clear shot. But he didn’t want to get it after she was left bleeding on a cement warehouse floor. With her a casualty of an ongoing war, he has to guide her to trust him, take a shot with him, build a them. And fold his woman firmly in the family that is Chaos.”

Standalone: “They called themselves “the lucky ones”. They were seven children either orphaned or abandoned by their parents and chosen by legendary philanthropist and brain surgeon Dr. Vincent Capello to live in The Dragon, his almost magical beach house on the Oregon Coast. Allison was the youngest of the lucky ones living an idyllic life with her newfound family… until the night she almost died, and was then whisked away from the house and her adopted family forever.

Now, thirteen years later, Allison receives a letter from Roland, Dr. Capello’s oldest son, warning her that their father is ill and in his final days. Allison determines she must go home again and confront the ghosts of her past. She’s determined to find out what really happened that fateful night — was it an accident or, as she’s always suspected, did one of her beloved family members try to kill her?

But digging into the past can reveal horrific truths, and when Allison pieces together the story of her life, she’ll learns the terrible secret at the heart of the family she once loved but never really knew.”

Can standalone: “For a decade, I’ve quarterbacked America’s most iconic football team… Now I’m transitioning from star player to retired jock—with a cloud of allegation hanging over my head. So I’m escaping to the private ocean-front paradise I bought for peace and quiet. What I get instead is a stubborn, snarky, wild [woman]… I need a steady, supportive “girlfriend” for the court of public opinion, not entanglements. She is merely looking for nonstop sweaty sex. Three months—that’s how long it should take for us both to scratch this itch and leave our respective scandals behind. But the more I know this woman, the less I can picture my life without her. And when I’m forced to choose, I’ll realize I more than love her enough to do whatever it takes to make her mine for good.”

Dark romance & modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet! — “Avery Capulet is missing. Taken by a madman. Kept in the dark. She might not survive. He’ll use her body. Destroy her mind. All before he ever lays a hand on her.

Rome Montague is a drug dealer. A criminal. A thief. And he needs the secrets Avery and her family are keeping – even if it means cutting them out of her pretty Capulet flesh. Rome Montague is missing – but nobody will miss him. Not that it matters; After the things he’s done to this girl, he doesn’t deserve to be found.”

Series finale: “He and I have what happily-ever-after is made of… A home he built us on the unshakeable foundation we fought for. A life of laughter carved out of heartache and betrayal. A love story to stand the test of time.

But between a trust that can’t be broken, joy that can’t be bridled, and passion that would scorch the sun, the empty spaces are becoming more and more difficult to ignore… Fears that keep him up at night as he slips from our bed. Our complicated relationship with a man he respects and one I don’t know how to forgive. And a beautiful home with one small room I’m afraid I’ll never be able to fill. He and I have what happily-ever-after is made of… But I’ll beg the heavens for just one thing more.”

Can standalone: “Waitressing at a tequila bar may not be what she wants to do forever, but for now it’s perfect—other than the flashbacks to the tragedy she caused in Boston. And the fact that one of her bosses is a domineering manwhore who’s as stubborn as he is sexy. If he’d just listen to her, she could double his business. But it would also mean getting close to someone, and that’s a risk she can’t afford.

He’s the money man trying to keep [his business partners] afloat. To blow off steam, he’s been sleeping around a little. The last thing he needs is business advice from their crazy-hot new waitress. he can’t figure her out. She’s smarter than she lets on, and she doesn’t hide her disgust for his active sex life. But after he recognizes her PTSD symptoms, he is determined to save her… unless she saves him first.”

Can standalone: “Hockey is his life and playing for the U.S. team is a privilege. Then he meets a U.S. figure skater. She’s beautiful, ambitious and driven—everything he desires in a woman. He would love to show her how hot life off the ice can be.

She has skated her entire life, sacrificing everything in the hopes of one day winning gold. Now she’s competing for the third and final time. She intends to win, and nothing’s going to get in her way—until she meets him. He’s an irresistible charmer, and before long she is wondering if this sexy hockey player is the perfect guy to show her some moves outside the rink. But after all the medals have been awarded, they will have to decide if what they have together is just a fling or a real shot at true love.”

Can standalone: “With his tousled hair, cocky grin, and surprising abs, [he] is no stranger to the attention of women. He dates, but never gets serious, claiming that he’s too focused on his studies. But it’s not really school that preoccupies him; it’s sensual fantasies of his best friend’s sister.

She might be absolutely off-limits because of her overprotective brother and father, but that doesn’t stop him from imagining the feel of her in his arms, the brush of his lips over her soft skin, or the sparks that would fly between them if he ever got her into bed. But for him, the bonds of family and friendship are sacrosanct, and there is no way that he’d ever violate his friend’s trust. Or would he? Because with love on the line, maybe it’s time for him to break a few rules…”

Standalone: “After ten years together, Sylvie and Dan have a comfortable home, fulfilling jobs, and beautiful twin girls, and they communicate so seamlessly they finish each other’s sentences. They have a happy marriage and believe they know everything there is to know about each other. Until it’s casually mentioned to them that they could be..

NEW FAVORITE – NOW LIVE: The Great Alone: A Novel by Kristin Hannah (Read my Review) HOLY. FREAKING. WOW!!!!! I UGLY SOBBED through the last 40 pages of this INCREDIBLE book!!!! This author is one of the BEST, STRONGEST, MOST TALENTED writers I’ve ever read. This book was very DIFFERENT than the types of books I normally read. You can tell that from the blurb. I went into this book expecting it to be more of a LIFE story, but what took me by complete, unexpected surprise was how much of an epic LOVE STORY it turned into. I feel so deeply MOVED by this story. It spans nearly a lifetime and shows a deeply PROFOUND view of LIFE, LOVE, LOSS, FAMILY, HEARTBREAK, and HEALING. I can’t guarantee that this story will appeal to everyone but I LOVED IT. And the ending was EVERYTHING I’d hoped for. Seriously, such an AMAZING BOOK and it is NOW LIVE so be sure to grab a copy!!! (And yes, I personally think it’s totally worth the price!)

How to Stop Time by Matt Haig (“a love story across the ages – and for the ages – about a man lost in time, the woman who could save him, and the lifetimes it can take to learn how to live”, standalone)

TOP FAVORITE!! Standalone: Ernt Allbright, a former POW, comes home from the Vietnam war a changed and volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes an impulsive decision: he will move his family north, to Alaska, where they will live off the grid in America’s last true frontier.

Thirteen-year-old Leni, a girl coming of age in a tumultuous time, caught in the riptide of her parents’ passionate, stormy relationship, dares to hope that a new land will lead to a better future for her family. She is desperate for a place to belong. Her mother, Cora, will do anything and go anywhere for the man she loves, even if means following him into the unknown.

At first, Alaska seems to be the answer to their prayers. In a wild, remote corner of the state, they find a fiercely independent community of strong men and even stronger women. The long, sunlit days and the generosity of the locals make up for the Allbrights’ lack of preparation and dwindling resources.

But as winter approaches and darkness descends on Alaska, Ernt’s fragile mental state deteriorates and the family begins to fracture. Soon the perils outside pale in comparison to threats from within. In their small cabin, covered in snow, blanketed in eighteen hours of night, Leni and her mother learn the terrible truth: they are on their own. In the wild, there is no one to save them but themselves.

In this unforgettable portrait of human frailty and resilience, Kristin Hannah reveals the indomitable character of the modern American pioneer and the spirit of a vanishing Alaska—a place of incomparable beauty and danger. This is a daring, beautiful, stay-up-all-night story about love and loss, the fight for survival, and the wildness that lives in both man and nature.

Standalone: “Some men are troublemakers or dealmakers.
The men in my family? We’re baby makers.
For six generations, the women of wine country have had a saying: don’t bang a Hunter man unless you want a bun in your oven. Yeah, well. I’ve got a saying too: no thanks. The last thing I need is baby makes three. My business is expanding and the only thing I’m interested in getting knocked up is my bottom line. But then one night Emma Haverford makes me an offer I can’t refuse—she backs away from the land I have my eye on in exchange for a favor… A big, fat, baby making favor…”

Can standalone: “He has a plan for everything—except how to handle his annoying, utterly frustrating, and totally sexy upstairs neighbor. He couldn’t care less if she thinks he’s equally irritating—until he discovers she’s the only one who can help him land a business deal…

Color him shocked when she refuses to help, insisting she should have run him over in the parking garage when she had the chance. Harsh. But possibly deserved. He may have spent the last few months reveling in annoying her, but he’s got secret leverage she can’t refuse.

If only they could stop trying to one-up each other long enough to realize the pranks are nothing more than foreplay. Of course, he figures it out quicker. He’s smart like that. Too bad she wants nothing to do with him. Or does she? Wait. What is she up to now?

For a man who’s always scheming, the best-laid plans never felt so good falling apart…”

Series finale: “He came back to me 16 minutes and 59 seconds into Beethoven’s Symphony no. 7. We parted amid tragedy, so it seemed poetic. My childhood sweetheart had once meant everything to me. Now we were strangers, and after eleven years I never thought I’d see him again.

I lived in the world of the average, of getting paid by the hour and budgeting to make ends meet. But he lived in the world of wealth and success. He’d achieved the great things I always suspected he would. The dissatisfaction he’d felt as a teenager had obviously been an excellent motivator. He started a business from scratch, pioneered a brand, and created perfumes adored by women across the globe. I was just one of the people who’d been there before. Now he was living his best life in the after.

And me, well, I’d been in a dark place for a while. Slowly but surely, I was letting the light back in, but there was something missing. And maybe, if I was brave enough to take the chance, he could be my happy ending.”

Can standalone: “No one plays like him, whether it’s hockey season or not. After back-to-back NHL championships, he’s craving a little R&R. He leans to a specific type—blond, busty, and interested—and fortunately he has a little black book full of options. So why is it he can’t stop dreaming about the new girl who just moved in next door? A certified brainiac, she seems to want nothing to do with the hard-bodied athlete.

She desperately needs something her celebrity neighbor obviously doesn’t: solitude. He is everything she imagined—a little too good-looking, with a body that puts Greek gods to shame. But she didn’t expect he would also be funny and charming. She knows she’s the opposite of his type, and that’s fine with her. Still, the chemistry between them is undeniable. Their newfound friendship certainly has its benefits, but she’s starting to wonder if opposites really do attract…”

Standalone: “The first rule is that you don’t fall in love,’ he said… ‘There are other rules too, but that is the main one. No falling in love. No staying in love. No daydreaming of love. If you stick to this you will just about be okay.'”

A love story across the ages – and for the ages – about a man lost in time, the woman who could save him, and the lifetimes it can take to learn how to live.

Tom Hazard has a dangerous secret. He may look like an ordinary 41-year-old, but owing to a rare condition, he’s been alive for centuries. Tom has lived history—performing with Shakespeare, exploring the high seas with Captain Cook, and sharing cocktails with Fitzgerald. Now, he just wants an ordinary life.

So Tom moves back his to London, his old home, to become a high school history teacher—the perfect job for someone who has witnessed the city’s history first hand. Better yet, a captivating French teacher at his school seems fascinated by him. But the Albatross Society, the secretive group which protects people like Tom, has one rule: Never fall in love. As painful memories of his past and the erratic behavior of the Society’s watchful leader threaten to derail his new life and romance, the one thing he can’t have just happens to be the one thing that might save him. Tom will have to decide once and for all whether to remain stuck in the past, or finally begin living in the present.

Standalone: “When star soccer player Peyton Rios receives an offer from her first-choice college, senior year starts off exactly as planned. But when she uncovers her boyfriend’s dark secret, she confronts him—and finds herself falling down a flight of stairs. Her knee—and maybe her dream of going pro—is shattered. Everyone is talking: Was she pushed, or did she fall? She knows the truth, even if no one believes her.

With her future on the line, she goes to stay with her uncle in a small town to focus on her recovery. Dating is the last thing on her mind—until she meets sweet, sexy Owen Law… But she doesn’t trust her heart, especially when she senses that he is hiding something. When their secrets are finally exposed, she has to decide if love is worth fighting for.”

Can standalone: He’s the playboy co-owner of a hotel chain, she’s the manager of a gourmet coffee shop in his resort. — “When she finds herself with unexpected bills to pay, she strikes up a deal. For a reasonable fee, she will pose as his girlfriend to drive away bitter women who are making his life miserable. He hasn’t engaged in a serious relationship since his heart was broken five years previously, so he thinks playing husband to a fake wife won’t be a problem. But as the relationship continues he’s no longer quite so certain. And as the line between false animosity and real attraction becomes blurred, she begins to realize that the one thing she wants is what she’s pretending to already have…”

I just UGLY SOBBED through the last 40 pages of this book and there is no doubt in my mind that Kristin Hannah is one of the STRONGEST, MOST TALENTED writers I’ve ever read. This book was very different than the types of books I normally read. You can tell that from the blurb. I went into this book expecting it to be more of a LIFE story, but what took me by complete, unexpected surprise was how much of an epic LOVE STORY it turned into. I feel so deeply and profoundly MOVED by it. It spans nearly a complete lifetime and portrays a raw, honest view of LIFE, LOVE, LOSS, FAMILY, HEARTBREAK, and HEALING. I can’t guarantee that this story will appeal to everyone but I absolutely LOVED IT and the ending was everything I’d hoped for. I highly recommend this as a top favorite!

Alaska, 1974.
Unpredictable. Unforgiving. Untamed.
For a family in crisis, the ultimate test of survival.

Ernt Allbright, a former POW, comes home from the Vietnam war a changed and volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes an impulsive decision: he will move his family north, to Alaska, where they will live off the grid in America’s last true frontier.

Thirteen-year-old Leni, a girl coming of age in a tumultuous time, caught in the riptide of her parents’ passionate, stormy relationship, dares to hope that a new land will lead to a better future for her family. She is desperate for a place to belong. Her mother, Cora, will do anything and go anywhere for the man she loves, even if means following him into the unknown.

At first, Alaska seems to be the answer to their prayers. In a wild, remote corner of the state, they find a fiercely independent community of strong men and even stronger women. The long, sunlit days and the generosity of the locals make up for the Allbrights’ lack of preparation and dwindling resources.

But as winter approaches and darkness descends on Alaska, Ernt’s fragile mental state deteriorates and the family begins to fracture. Soon the perils outside pale in comparison to threats from within. In their small cabin, covered in snow, blanketed in eighteen hours of night, Leni and her mother learn the terrible truth: they are on their own. In the wild, there is no one to save them but themselves.

In this unforgettable portrait of human frailty and resilience, Kristin Hannah reveals the indomitable character of the modern American pioneer and the spirit of a vanishing Alaska—a place of incomparable beauty and danger. The Great Alone is a daring, beautiful, stay-up-all-night story about love and loss, the fight for survival, and the wildness that lives in both man and nature.

I can usually tell from the first page whether or not I’m going to enjoy a particular book. Granted, this isn’t a failsafe method of judging books and most often I’ll try a the first couple of chapters to be sure, but as a general rule, I can tell from the first few lines of a book if I’m going to really fall in love with the story. Kristin Hannah is one of the most talented authors and skilled storytellers I’ve ever read and if you read even just the first paragraph of this book, you’ll see exactly what I mean. Her word choice, sentence structure, and writing is exquisite. If any aspiring authors reading this, I strongly recommend reading one of her books — just to see how she weaves these words into such beautiful stories. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that Kristin Hannah is the single most talented author I’ve ever read. Which isn’t to say that I love her books more than my other top favorites specifically (even though I have adored everything I’ve read from hers so far), but just her command of the English language is the best I’ve ever read.

So as you can tell, I was captivated from the start of this book. I knew going into it that this likely wasn’t going to fall in line with the typical stories I usually gravitate towards but I couldn’t resist a new Kristin Hannah book because she’s just one of those authors where if she writes it, I’ll read it because I love the experience of reading her books.

However, this book took me by surprise several times. First, in the overall scope of the story. I didn’t realize just how many years the story spanned and was pleasantly surprised to find that it took place over nearly a full lifetime and as such, the emotional depth of the story was magnified with many story arcs taking years and decades to fulfill.

The second thing that surprised me in a wonderful way was that there was in fact a achingly beautiful love story that slowly developed into a central and incredibly poignant storyline. The heart-break and healing from this equally devastating and uplifting love story was a huge part of the reason why I quite literally ugly sobbed my way through the last 40 pages. Like we’re talking full on crocodile tears streaming down my face, mascara streaks, have-to-stop-reading-because-can-no-longer-see-the-page-through-my-tears kind of sobbing. THE EMOTIONS. THE FEELS. THE INTENSITY. They just swept me away in a fashion that only my most favorite books have ever done.

But I’m getting ahead of myself a little. The first part (nearly half) of the book has a very adventuresome feel. And yet, it has a distinct “edge” to it. Like if it were a movie, you’d hear a little high pitched violin constantly in the background grating just enough to keep your heart-racing, knowing that danger could be around any corner.

Kristin Hannah so skillfully set up the core characters. A wife and mother determined to be strong for the broken man she loved and holding on to an empty hope of redemption while trying to be independent in a man’s world. A husband and father who’d seen the worst from the world, betrayed by his fellow man and abandoned by this country, trying to be someone his family could rely on and yet being unable to keep fear from overtaking his mind. And a young teenager caught up in her family’s turmoil as they tried to survive in a harsh and unforgiving world.

“I’m sorry. I lost my temper. And my job. You must be disappointed as hell in me.”
“No, Dad.”
She knew how sorry he was. She could see it on his face. When she was younger, she’d sometimes wondered what good all those sorries were if nothing ever changed, but Mama had explained it to her. The war and captivity had snapped something in him. ‘It’s like his back is broken,’ Mama had said, ‘and you don’t stop loving a person when they’re hurt. You get stronger so they can lean on you. He needs me. Us.’

When an unexpected turn of events gives her family a chance at a new life in the wild of Alaska, everything changes.

“She had lain awake long past midnight, reading about the vast landscape of Alaska. It had captivated her in an expected way. The frontier was like her dad, it seemed. Larger than life. Expansive. A little dangerous.”

My heart raced a little with excitement and anticipation as they made their way to Alaska. As someone who loves the countryside and wilderness, I found a strange sense of peace reading about the desolate landscape they were about to call home. However, I could just as easily see how terrifying and unforgiving it could be. And how dangerous.

“You’ll need to be tough up here, Cora Allbright. For you and your daughter. You can’t just count on your man. You need to be able save yourself and this beautiful girl of yours.”
“That’s pretty dramatic,” Mama said.
… “This is a bear whistle. You’ll need it. Lesson number one: no walking quietly — or unarmed — in Alaska. Not this far out, not this time of year.”
“Are you trying to scare us?” Mama asked.
“You bet your ass I am. Fear is common sense up here.”

Despite their isolation from most of the civilized world, Leni’s family put their best foot forward, determined that this would be the fresh start they’d dreamed of.

“Be careful. Learn to shoot a gun.
They lived on a piece of land that couldn’t be accessed by water at low tide, on a peninsula with only a handful of people and hundreds of wild animals, in a climate harsh enough to kill you. There was no police station, no telephone service, no one to hear you scream.
For the first time, she really understood what her dad had been saying.
Remote.”

And there, at the end of the earth, the final frontier, in the most impoverished, undersupplied, desolate and tiny town you could imagine, they were shown generosity, support, and kindness the likes of which they’d never seen.

“In Alaska you can make one mistake. One. The second one will kill you.”
“I don’t think we’re prepared,” Mama said. “Maybe we’ve already made a mistake by coming here.”
“I’ll help you,” Thelma promised. “We all will.”

But the coming winter changed everything for everyone. It took a strong person to withstand the darkness and it was a kill or be killed world out there in the wild. And her father wasn’t strong enough to keep the demons that haunted him at bay. The war had changed him and back then PTSD wasn’t understood. His fear and paranoia was tinged with just enough truth to give it a strong hold but his mind had twisted it into something uglier than any reality and as the winter went on, they began to realize that the dangers they faced weren’t only from the wild .

“With no 911 and no one to call for help. All this time, Dad had bought Leni how dangerous the outside world was. The truth was the the biggest danger of all was in her own home.”

But in the midst of this unforgiving world, Leni fell in love with the land. It molded her. And it was there that she met someone who would one day change her life forever…

This book has a profound and honest way of portraying both PTSD and domestic abuse and how quickly, quietly, and unexpectedly one can blend into the other. Kristin Hannah did a fantastic job of differentiating between a truly evil person and a good person who did bad things as well as a good person who’d succumbed to fear. She references Herbert’s quote “Fear is the mind-killer” and that line rang so very true over and over again as you read this story.

“Mama would never leave Dad. It didn’t matter that she’d gone so far as to take a backpack and run to the bus and drive away. She would come back, always, because she loved him. Or she needed him. Or she was afraid of him. Who knew, really?
Leni couldn’t begin to understand the hows and whys of her parents’ love. She was old enough to see the turbulent surface, but too young to know what lay beneath.”

However, I will say that there’s a point where you go from feeling sympathy for a character to understanding that they’ve crossed the point of no return and again, and that progression and transition was written so powerfully.

In the naivety of youth, her parents had seemed like towering presences, omnipotent and all-knowing. But they weren’t that; they were just two broken people.

The second half of the book shifts forward several years closer to the end is another jump forward. These shifts in time were perfectly balanced and I honestly read the second half of this book in what felt like a single breath. This is a long book but it felt like I barely blinked. I mean really. THE FEELS!!!!!!!

It’s honestly unfair that I’m writing so little in my review about the second half of the book because it was AMAZING but I’m trying really hard not to give away too much of the story. What I will say again though was that I told you that I’d known this would be a life story but I was not expecting it turn into such a truly epic and beautiful love story. We’re talking the kind of true, undying love that no measure of tragedy or loss could ever diminish.

“How will I stop loving him, Mama? Will I… forget?
Mama signed. “Ah. That. Love doesn’t fade or die, baby girl. People tell you it does, but it doesn’t. If you love him now, you’ll love him in ten years and in forty. Differently, maybe, a faded version, but he’s a part of you now. And you are a part of him.”

I’m tearing up now just thinking back on those last 40 pages. THEY WERE EVERYTHING I needed from this story. The ending was deeply fulfilling and brought all the story arcs full circle. I felt whole and healed by the end and the last words even were just perfect. I’ll answer the HEA question in a hidden spoiler here because I know that some of you will be wondering…

If you’re in a book club, this would be a FANTASTIC reading choice! There is so much about this story to discuss — so many layers of meaning and emotion. So many choices and such complex characters. Also, I wouldn’t usually address this but I’ve been asked about it so my own opinion is that yes, this book is absolutely worth its price.

This is a story that’ll stay with me for years to come. If you’re looking for a fantastically well-written book with a unique, powerful, deeply profound story that’ll sweep you away, definitely read this!

Note: This book releases in a few days but if you pre-order a copy, it won’t be charged til release and will automatically download to your eReader the moment it goes live so you don’t accidentally forget about it!

` **** NEW LIST JUST POSTED **** Hey everyone!! This is a brand new Weekly List for the week of January 30th. I know it looks similar to the old one, but if you scroll down, you’ll see it’s all new books!!

EARLY RELEASE: Combust: Everyday Heroes by K. Bromberg (can standalone) I LOVE this author’s books and this can standalone! — “She has been burned… By her boyfriend she found in her bed with someone else. By the contract she signed that obligates her to work with him until the songs for his new album are complete. By her agent when she asked him to keep their breakup on the down-low… She refuses to let her new roommate burn her too. Still, a rebound has never looked so good. That’s her first thought when she sees firefighter Grady Malone. Sexy. Charismatic. Unapologetic. He’s a man who carries his own scars—the ones on his back, the survivor’s guilt on his soul, and the fear in his heart. When an unexpected visitor puts their roommate status to the test, will their undeniable attraction burn out, or will they both take a chance and play with fire?”

Can standalone: “She has been burned… By her boyfriend she found in her bed with someone else. By the contract she signed that obligates her to work with him until the songs for his new album are complete. By her agent when she asked him to keep their breakup on the down-low.

When she finds herself in Sunnyville, she refuses to let her new roommate burn her too. Still… a rebound has never looked so good. That’s her first thought when she sees firefighter Grady Malone. Sexy. Charismatic. Unapologetic. He’s a man who carries his own scars—the ones on his back, the survivor’s guilt on his soul, and the fear in his heart. When an unexpected visitor puts their roommate status to the test, will their undeniable attraction burn out, or will they both take a chance and play with fire?”

Standalone: “I’d never even kissed a boy the night I met Stone. The night I saw him kill. The night he spared my life. That was only the beginning… He turns up in my car again and again, dangerous and full of raw power. “Drive,” he tells me, and I have no choice. He’s a criminal with burning green eyes, invading my life and my dreams… The police say he’s dangerously obsessed with me, but I’m the one who can’t stop thinking about him. Maybe it’s wrong to let him touch me. Maybe it’s wrong to touch him back. Maybe these twisted dates need to stop. Except he feels like the only real thing in my world of designer labels and mansions. So I drive us under threat, until it’s hard to remember I don’t want to be there. Until it’s too late to turn back.”

Can standalone: “Louisa Clark arrives in New York ready to start a new life, confident that she can embrace this new adventure and keep her relationship with Ambulance Sam alive across several thousand miles. She is thrown into the world of the superrich Gopniks: Leonard and his much younger second wife, Agnes, and a never-ending array of household staff and hangers-on. Lou is determined to get the most out of the experience and throws herself into her job and New York life within this privileged world.

Before she knows what’s happening, Lou is mixing in New York high society, where she meets Joshua Ryan, a man who brings with him a whisper of her past. In Still Me, as Lou tries to keep the two sides of her world together, she finds herself carrying secrets–not all her own–that cause a catastrophic change in her circumstances. And when matters come to a head, she has to ask herself Who is Louisa Clark? And how do you reconcile a heart that lives in two places?”

Duet: “Life used to be simple. I was a city girl with humble dreams. Then Dylan O’Dea broke into my flat, held me against the wall and told me to stay quiet.

It was like in the movies, where the universe zeros in on a single scene. I looked into his eyes and knew he was going to change me… I had no idea that one day he’d build an empire from what we started together. But before that, there was love and happiness, tragedy and epic heartbreak… My name is Evelyn Flynn and I’m going to tell you about the crack in everything.”

Can standalone: He is used to being overshadowed and overlooked. After all, he’s the youngest brother and the most laid back one in the family. Very few things in life have had the ability to rile him up and get under his skin. At the top of that list is his childhood friend Brynn Fox…no…Brynn Warner. The fact that they share a last name was the one thing that has the power to light him up and spin him out of control like no other. There was no calm, cool and collected when it comes to all the reasons why she had to become part of his family. It’s slowly killing him to keep wanting what he can’t have, so he sees only one way to stop himself from doing something they’ll both regret…he has to leave.

Everything inside of her is calling out to find him, to follow, to bring him home. She is used to being stuck between a rock and a hard place. After all, she’s the daughter of an unrepentant gold-digger who never once blinked at being the cause of her daughter’s pain and suffering. Very few things in her life have ever brought happiness and a sense of security. At the very top of that list is him.

She has unwaveringly loved him since the first minute she laid eyes on him. He was everything she ever wanted and everything she knew she could never have. Sometimes the right choice is the one that hurts the most and hers had to make a few that felt like they might be the end of her.

When he takes off, one thing is clear, the only choice she has is to go after him. She’s going to bring her wayward cowboy home….whatever it takes.

Standalone: “If anyone asks, I knew better than to flash my boobs for Mardi Gras beads. I still don’t know why I did it. Maybe it was the dare from my two best friends. Or maybe it was the quiet guy in the corner of that same balcony with piercing gray eyes, wavy dark hair, and a smile so tempting I wanted to climb up there and lick it off his face. Maybe it was because I never thought I’d see them again. Not that it matters. Not today. Because the hotel I manage was finally bought—and the guy who walks in and introduces himself as my new boss is Mr. Tall, Dark, and Silent…
There are many upsides to being single.
Your new boss knowing what your boobs look like? Not one of them.”

Can standalone: For one charming playboy, getting cast on a Bachelor-esque reality TV show is the shock of a lifetime—until he finds love where he least expects it. And now the chase is on!

His reputation as a ladies’ man has been greatly exaggerated, but none of that matters after a drunken bet lands him on a reality TV show that matches runaway grooms with wannabe brides. Now he’s stuck at a Hawaiian resort with nineteen women competing to drag him back to the altar—and one contestant who’s even more miserable than he is. He has no idea how feisty, independent Ellie Wright wound up in the cast, but it’s obvious she hates his guts. And if there’s one thing he likes, it’s a challenge…

If you’re a fan of tortured bad boy heroes with hearts of gold who fall head over heels for their one true love, then you are going to absolutely adore this book!!! I read this book in one sitting and loved the story, loved the writing, and loved the romance. This is definitely a new favorite!

He didn’t seem to mind a lot of things, like listening to me talk and talk about anything and everything, putting my problems on him in between waiting tables, my stresses, my fears, needing a person to vent to and him being the only person I ever wanted to vent to because of the way he listened and looked at me.
No one had ever seemed so interested in what I had to say before. Like what I was saying meant everything to them. Like it was a privilege just to listen.

Sean and Shay had a history. They were coworkers who’d grown to be friends. Their chemistry was strong, but when she wanted more, he’d turned her down. Hurt by his rejection, she thought it was over between them before it had even begun. But she couldn’t be more wrong. He’d wanted her just as badly but didn’t think he was worthy.

Treat me like garbage. Be a complete dick to me. That I could understand. But Christ, anything else was confusing as hell.

OMG. For reals. This hero. HE WAS AMAZING!! Brooding, broken, gruff and mysterious, he’d been genuinely soul-crushed by not only his scarring childhood, but also everything that came after. Nobody had ever taught him right from wrong and each time he tried to do the right thing, life beat him down and it had broken his spirit and sense of self worth. He genuinely believed that he was worthy of nothing and no one. He was used to the world showing him no mercy so he didn’t know how to handle it when anyone showed him kindness. Which is where Shay came in.

She murmured, “You never had a chance.”
“What?” I turned back.
Her eyes were glassy.
“You were born into hate. Children are supposed to be born into love. It’s unconditional, and you never had that,” she said. “What chance did you have? There was no one protecting you. It’s a miracle you are who you are.”

When a family emergency suddenly placed her two younger brothers in her care for a couple weeks, it was to her great shock that the person who stepped up to help her was Sean. The same Sean who she’d mistakenly thought didn’t want anything to do with her.

She was literally the most selfless person you can imagine. She was self-sacrificial to a fault and often took blame on her own shoulders that wasn’t warranted, which did annoy me a bit and I wished she’d be a little more selfish honestly — nobody’s that much of a saint! — but her heart was in such a good place. And I loved how she never gave up on her mission to help him heal, find happiness, and feel worth of finding love and having a family.

“You’re a good man,” I blurted out.
It was the first thought that entered my head. It was sometimes the only thought that filled it.
Hearing me, his expression softened.
“You deserve an amazing life,” I continued, my voice gentled. “I feel like everyone sees that but you… Don’t you see how loved you are?”

I loved the way we got to see Sean’s softer side underneath his growly grouchy outward demeanor as he selflessly helped her with her brothers and repeatedly went out of his way to help make her life easier even before he ever dreamed of actually being a romantic part of her life. He’d made mistakes in his past but it was unquestionably clear that he was hell bent on turning a new leaf and making amends. There’s something just absolutely adorable about a grouchy, heart-broken, sexy, strong, tattooed bad boy. And my favorite thing about him was how considerate and aware he was of everything going on with her life. I promise it’s impossible not to fall in love with him.

He lifted his chin in greeting. “Your coffee sucks.”
“Uh, thanks.” I made a mental note about Sean disliking coconut-mocha coffee. Not sure why, but I did. “What are you doing here?”
“Saw on the calendar they had stuff goin’ on this mornin’,” he began, glancing at my brothers. “Figured you’d have trouble doin’ both, so I’m here.”
“You’re helping me out again?”
“It ain’t a big deal.”
I stood a little taller, staring back at him and disbelieving the words he’d just uttered, even though I’d heard them loud and clear.
He was helping me out again.
Sean had taken the time to glance over that calendar yesterday when I was merely pointing out a day’s worth of activities, and after doing so, came to the conclusion he’d help without me asking, knowing his help would make my life easier.
He was right. This wasn’t a big deal. This was a huge deal.

And seriously THE FREAKING FEEEEEEEEELS!!!! I don’t want to go into too much detail but there are little kids involved in this story just… just… holy feels!!!! Pure sweetness!!!

There were a few moments like I said where I felt that the heroine was too self-deprecating, but in general I really loved them as a couple. There are some really freaking GOOD people in this book. And if one of them stumbled, the others helped picked them up and had their back. That kind of support was just so heart-warming to read about because nobody is perfect and sometimes you just need someone else’s help to deal with life.

“You’ll never feel alone again. I promise.”

The story is told in alternating POVs and first person. It can be read as a complete standalone, but it is also interconnected with the 2 previous Dirty Deeds standalones (see below). I’ve read them all and enjoyed them all. However, you absolutely can read this book alone without the others and you won’t be confused at all.

All in all this was a fantastic read!! It’s certainly a new favorite and a very well-written book I’d highly recommend to fans of sexy romance with lots of feels and sweetness!!

“Why are you here?” I practically whispered.
A breath gusted from his mouth and he moved back, his hand dropping slowly as if he were forcing himself to stop touching me. “Because I can’t live without you.”

HOLY BOOK ADDICTION!! I inhaled this book in one sitting. I literally didn’t put it down for a single minute! It was an addictive, adrenaline-fueled, fast-paced romance with a sexy, brooding, and totally badass hero and a unique story with an unexpected twist!! I love it when books surprise like that. The writing was strong, the story was unique, the romance was hot, and I’d highly recommend this to anyone looking for a great new read!

So, I’m going to post the blurb first here because, if you love unique storylines as much as I do, you’ll understand immediately why I was so intrigued by this story and why I dropped everything else to read it…

Wealthy socialite Olivia Barton never imagined her fiancé would disappear on what was supposed to be a routine business trip. She’s even more heartbroken and confused when a hired private investigator tracks him half a world away, to a seaside town in Colombia. But the country has recently been ravaged by a massive earthquake and deadly tsunami, shutting down outside communication and making travel all but impossible. Still, Olivia is determined to make it to Colombia to find the answers she so desperately seeks. What she needs is a guide–a mercenary.

The man named Thomas arrives in shadows, an unmistakable air of danger about him, promising to help lead her through the ruined, crime-infested country. But when Thomas and Olivia find themselves fighting an undeniable attraction, danger takes on a whole new meaning. Then again, in the lush jungles of South America, all the rules are different and Thomas and Olivia are about to discover that sometimes the thing you seek, isn’t necessarily the thing you find…

Given my intense aversion to cheating and triangles though, I naturally was concerned about both those things and without any spoilers, I’ll just say that if you’re worried about either of those things, don’t be. Just trust me. This book didn’t break any of my ‘book rules’ even though I was wary at first that it might.

This story hits the ground running and honestly doesn’t stop it’s full-throttle adventure until the very end. There’s a mix of exciting adventure tinged with danger, there’s mystery over not knowing anything about Thomas or what the hell had happened to her fiance, there’s an intensely angsty and forbidden love brewing, and the story took a surprising direction that really pleased me!

Thomas and Olivia couldn’t have been more opposite on paper. She’d lived a sheltered and privileged life, while he’d lived a hard and violent one that had shaped him into the resourceful and dangerous man he’d become. Which was why he was the perfect person for the job of guiding her through a foreign, disaster ridden and crime infested jungle.

“Nice to meet you.”
His eyes tilted in my direction but he didn’t respond to my nicety. “By the way, you’ll be traveling as my wife if anyone asks.”
My brows came together. “Your wife? Don’t be silly.”
“I’m never silly.”
We looked at each other, his wintery eyes spearing me. I believed it. “Why?”
“Just not my style.” But was that… bemusement I’d glimpsed in his expression before he turned away?
“I meany, why do I have to pretend to be your wife?”
“Safest that way. I can protect you if other men know you’re mine.”

We get alternate POVs in this book — both in first person — and I really liked seeing into both of their sides of the story because there was a lot that Thomas especially was hiding. It’s a bit of a shorter read (245 pages) and I actually thought the length worked really well for this particular story because because there was no unnecessary drama, the story constantly moved forward, and yet gave enough time to connect you to the characters.

Oooooh and there’s a little cameo treat near the end of the book for any long-time Mia Sheridan fans! Don’t worry if you haven’t read any of her other books though. This is a COMPLETE STANDALONE and is not part of any series.

If you’re looking for an action-packed romance, this is definitely a top recommendation!

It was so ROMANTIC and delightfully UNEXPECTED! I’m not going to lie, given the nature of its title, I made certain assumptions about the story but it honestly surprised me over and over again with where the story led and I seriously loved that about it!! This hero was PURE SWOON in every way and he was hiding a big, heart-breaking, life changing secret. The heroine was a strong, unconventional single mom. Together, you just knew they were perfect for each other but they had a lot of hurdles to make it over before they could truly find their happily-ever-after. This book was equal parts SEXY AND HOT but also HEART-FELT AND EMOTIONAL!! It was well-written, completely addictive and I highly, highly recommend it to anyone looking for a FANTASTIC new book to read!!

My relationship with Hunter Delucia started backwards.

We met at a wedding—him sitting on the groom’s side, me sitting on the bride’s. Stealing glances at each other throughout the night, there was no denying an intense, mutual attraction.

I caught the bouquet; he caught the garter. Hunter held me tightly while we danced and suggested we explore the chemistry sparking between us. His blunt, dirty mouth should’ve turned me off. But for some crazy reason, it had the opposite effect on me.

We ended up back in my hotel room. The next morning, I headed home to New York leaving him behind in California with the wrong number.

I thought about him often, but after my last relationship, I’d sworn off of charming, cocky, gorgeous-as-sin men. A year later, Hunter and I met again at the birth of our friends’ baby. Our attraction hadn’t dulled one bit. After a whirlwind trip, he demanded a real phone number this time. So I left him with my mother’s—she could scare away any man with her talks of babies and marriage—and flew back home.

I’d thought it was funny, until the following week when he rang the bell at Mom’s house for Sunday night dinner. The crazy, gorgeous man had won over my mother and taken an eight-week assignment in my city. He proposed we spend that time screwing each other out of our systems.

Eight weeks of mind-blowing sex with no strings attached? What did I have to lose?

Nothing, I thought.
It’s just sex, not love.
But you know what they say about the best laid plans…

This book had me smiling from the very first page.

Hunter Delucia was a cocky, unabashed, confident-bordering-on-arrogant guy but with such a sweet and charming side that you knew he was one of the good guys deep down. He was smart, successful, unabashedly forward, and totally aware of all his assets so it made for quite an interesting combination.

When the doors slid closed, the elevator suddenly seemed very small. It didn’t help that he hadn’t bothered to turn around when we started to move. He faced me, standing very close. My body definitely took note of the proximity.
“Don’t you have any elevator etiquette?” I asked. “Turn around and stare at the numbers like a normal person.”
“Why would I waste my time looking at that when the view is so much nicer facing this direction?”
“I’m not sleeping with you, you know.”
“Why not?”
… “I don’t know you.”
Hunter slipped his hands into his pockets. “Hunter Delicia, age twenty-nine, single, never been married, no kids. Went to Berkley for undergraduate and grad school. Degree in architectural engineering. Grew up next to Derek, been friend since we were in the carriage. He’ll vouch for me as a decent guy. Own a home [with] no mortgage. I also built it myself and have lots of trees on my property — that should get me extra points, by the way. Last doctor’s appointment was a month ago — clean as a whistle. And, most importantly…” He took a step closer to me; our bodies were practically touching. “I think you’re extremely sexy. There’s some insane chemistry here, and I think we should explore it.”

Natalia was a really different type of character. I’m not going to give too many details but she had become the legal guardian of a teenager who wasn’t related to her by blood in any way and she was trying to balance her life carefully to both bring stability into their lives while being very wary of the men she trusted.

“He’s… well, I’m not sure what to make of him, to be honest. He’s lewd, forward, persistent… sexy as hell.”
“Gorgeous, financially sound, confident, sexy as hell,” she added.
I sighed. “Yeah. All those. But there’s something about him… something I can’t put my finger on, that makes him feel as forbidden as Mr. Westbrook did in high school.”

Much to my delight, this book had oodles of fun, flirty banter and light-hearted flirting, but underneath it all was quite a lot of emotional depth which in my opinion was what grounded this story.

The way he looked into my eyes made me feel like he could see right into me. It scared me to feel so open, so vulnerable, but at the same time, it was beautiful and made me feel safe. I finally realized why I’d been so terrified. It wasn’t because I was afraid to fall for him—it was because I’d already started to.

Not gonna lie though, even though there was undeniably some crazy hot sex, for a book of this title, it was surprisingly much more about love than sex. But for those of you who love a scorching hot romance, don’t worry — you’ll get it in spades! There’s just a fair bit of a slow burn to get there… and to me that was perfect and worked very well for this story because the timeline really made their growing love for each other that much more believable.

“What?”
“I take it you really do like this stuff?”
I spoke with a full mouth. “It’s better than sex.”
“Then you haven’t been fucked properly.”
Mid-swallow, I choked on the oatmeal, sputtering and gasping.

One of my favorite parts of the book was seeing Hunter become so protective of the teen she was raising. It’s a special and beautiful thing when a guy gives his heart to the children of the woman he’s falling in love with but in this specific case it really felt like an extra level of special.

And whatever I’d guessed or assumed about Hunter’s past through the flashbacks was all wrong. The truth was surprising and heartbreaking and completely explained his complete aversion to committed relationships. But I absolutely loved the way they handled it together and honestly from the moment I started reading this book, I couldn’t put it down!

I can always count on Vi Keeland to deliver a fun, sexy, swoon-filled, and addictive romance with just enough emotional depth to tug all my heart-strings and this book is easily a new Top Favorite!!